X-ray apparatus



Oct. 19, 1943.

z. J. ATLEE ETAL X-RAY APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 8, 1941 kmw Patented Oct. 19, 1943 X-RAY APPARATUS I Zed J. Atlee, Elmhnrst, and Howard Brackney,

I Chicago, Ill.,-assignors to General Electric X- ltay Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New York Original ,applicationiJanuary8, 1941; Serial -.373,630. Divided and this application May 7 1941, SerialNo. 392,358

This invention relatesto X-rayapparatus and has more particular reference to a casing enclosed; X-ray tube or generator, the same comprising subject-matter divided from the co-pending apa plication Serial No. 373,630, filed January 8, 1941, upon which United States Letters Patent No. 2,310,567 issuedFebruary 9, 1943.

An important object of the invention is to provide a housingfor'an X-ray generator having a removable cover on Whichhthegenerator is secured for suspension in the housing, whereby to facilitate removaloi the generator for inspectionQQrep'air or replacement; a further object being toform the cover with a generator'mounting forming a window and to provide for securing the generatoron the coveratsaid mounting.

;,A furtherobject is to provide a housing .in which an X-ray generator may be enclosed v in position submerged in acooling and insulating fluid'in the housingj a further object being to form the generator with means for circulating a coolingfluid in direct contact with its anode;

a still further object being to provide the hous-'v ing with cooling coils extending therein in heat exchange relationship with respect to the cooling iiuidin the vicinity of the mounted generaton Q'QIThes'eIand numerous other important objects,

advantages, and inherent functions of the invention. willbe'come apparent as the invention is more fullyunderstood from the following descripmen, which, takenin conjunction with the .ac-

compjanyingrdrawing, discloses a preferred embodimenttof the invention.

jReferrin'g to the drawing; 1 Figure I I is a sectional view tained portable X-ray apparatus; having a casing and enclosed X-ray generatoroformed and arranged in accordance with the present inventionp Figure 2 is an end view of the apparatusshown inFigure. 1; and I p Figure} is an enlarged sectional view of the X-ray generator forming. a part of the assembly.

shown in Figure 1.

'Io'illnstrate the invention, the drawing shows an X-ray generator H enclosed. in ahousing which, asoshown, comprises a shell 13 forming integral ideand'end walls and fitted-withtop andbottom closuresB'l and 68 suitablysecured in seats formed'on the shell member lithe covers: Bland B8 being held in place, as by, holding screws 69; and sealed to the shell member 13"by means of suitable gaskets 8|.

of the self con- The shell 13 and; cover means 61 and 68 may be'formedof any suit able "material, and the IX-r'ay generator .l l'fis: mounted 'onthe covert?" as by means of "the screws 65. Theshell 1 3 and covers '61 and- 68 enclose .a chamber 15 whichcontains a=suitable cooling fluid, suchas oil, in which theigenerator ll immerses. a

; v While the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular form and constructionof the generator H, the same-as shown, comprises'an anodeor target Hot-any suitablem'ateriah-such ascopper, iron, or nickelcastrin copper, which'is supported within a sealed' envelope l5 comprising a hard glass portion t1 anda metal :portionj l9 which may beof cold rolled steel.

The generator comprises cathode ineans ,2!

supported within the envelope and providedwith; conductors 23 and 25' for energizing the same from a suitable: electrical power source. A-conductor Z1alsomaybeprbvidedin order to supply electrical energy'to a getter wire '29; arranged within the cathode structure, and all aoifthese conductors-23, 25 and 21 extendthrough vacuumtight joints! formed in acup-shaped member 33 which is sealed at its edges, as at 35,-in an opening at oneendof the glass envelope portion Fl the member -33 serving as a mounting for supporting the'cathode .2! .in; place within -.the-

envelope. It will be noted that the cathode struc;

ture-i-s in thermaltcontact'with the member 33;-

which is preferably formed-of metalr' an d which has a'surface in positionto make thermal con-- tactwiththe' cooling fluidain which the generas tor is immersed, the cooling fluid circulating; in the chambert'l defined bythe member 33 at the end of the envelope; A

The metal portion of the envelope comprisesa cylindrical shell -l-8,-wln' ch-is ;sealed at one end channel of themember 2 12. The; outer -end of the member 22 is fitted'with a'coverplate-dl having openings "4-9 and g53 i-for connection :with a source of cooling fluid, s uch-as water, which may be circulated through the plate-5l into 'di-rectlheat exchange contact with the hackof thetarget member.

When the cathode 2i is energized-it becomes j a source of electrons,- which arecaused to impinge upon the target .l 3 for the generation of X-rays which pass through a small port: 4]

formed in the cylindrical envelope member 21 andthen through a vacuum-tight beryllium \window 43 which is brazed or soldered in a collar, asindicated at 41. This collar, in turn, is scale ingly secured in'a socketforme'd in' thejenvelope' formed with an embossment defining an opening 11, and the generator is secured on the embossment with the beryllium window 43 in line with the opening 11, the collar, to this end, being formed with threaded openings for the reception of the holding screws 65. The beryllium window 43 is thus disposed at the bottom of a pocket or well opening outwardly of the casing, so that X-rays passing through the window are immediately projected outwardly of the casing and are not required to penetrate the circulating oil in which the tube is immersed. Thus, the presence of oil surrounding the X-ray tube is not permitted to have any X-ray absorbing effect.

A cooling fluid may be supplied from a suitable external source directly to the target l3, as by conduit means 86 extending through the walls of the casing and preferably sealed by a gland 88 in the cover, said conduit means connecting with the opening 49 and passing into contact with the target I3 and thence through the outlet 53 which is connected with conduit means 93. The conduit means 93 also preferably passes outwardly of the casing through a gland 88 in the cover 61 and isconnected, by a pipe 94, with a gland 89 in the wall of the housing 13, which gland forms the inlet to a series of cooling coils disposed within the housing, including coils 83 disposed directly alongside of the generator H and coil 85 at one end of the housing adjacent a transformer 90, the cooling fluid being discharged through an outlet pipe 81 having a gland or fitting 89 in an end wall of the shell 13.

One of the advantages of the invention is that the cooling fluid circulated in the pipes 83, 85, 86, 81 and 93 may be ordinary tap water. The cooling coils 83 and 85 preferably comprise copper pipe immersed in the oil in the chamber 'I5and permanently assembled in the casing 13, being secured thereto by the glands 89. The coil 85 serves to cool the transformer 90 for continuous operation, while the coil 83 aids in cooling the tube l I. Both coils cool the oil in the casing. A bellows 91 for maintaining the chamber full of oil may be-arranged within the housing at the end of the transformer 90 opposite from the coil 85.

"It will be noted that the conduit means as and 93, leading to and from the tube II, are also anchored on the cover 61 by the glands 88 so that, to remove the cover, it is merely necessary to disconnect the pipe 94 and remove the screws 69.

One of the important advantages of the construction shown'in Figures 1 and 2 is that the distance between the target or anode and a crystal or other substance, which is to be subjected to X-rays for diffraction pattern examination, is extremely short, due to the fact that the window 43 is in the outer wall of the X-ray generator. Furthermore, the loss of X-rays, due to absorption, is reduced to a minimum, since beryllium has an extremely low coefficient of absorption, and X-rays emitted through the channel 11 avoid passage through the cooling fluid in the chamber 15.

The apparatus shown makes it possible to materially reduce the distance between the X-ray source on the target 13 and the material to be examined. This is an important improvement in view of the fact that X-ray intensity varies as the inverse square of the distance from the X-ray source.

The cover 68 may be formed as a mounting for the transformer 90, which may be secured thereon as by suitable bolts, and the cover 68 is also preferably formed with an integral housing 94 forming a sealed opening for a cable 85, by

means of which electrical energy from an external power source may be supplied to the transformer. The transformer thus is mounted on the cojtler 68 and is removable from the casing therewi h.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein disclosed being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. X-ray apparatus comprising means forming a housing having a removable cover, an X-ray generator rigidly fastened on said cover, said generator having a target and a chamber adjacent said target, and conduit means secured to and opening outwardly of said cover and connected with said chamber for circulating a cooling medium from an external source through said chamber in heat exchange relationship with respect to said target, whereby said generator and conduit means may be assembled in and removed from said housing as a unit with said cover.

2. X-ray apparatus comprising means forming a housing having a removable cover, an X-ray generator rigidly fastened on said cover, said generator having a target and a chamber adjacent said target, conduit means secured to and opening outwardly of said cover and connected with said chamber for circulating a cooling medium from an external source through said cover in heat exchange relationship with respect to said target and thence outwardly through said cover, cooling coils in said housing, including a coil extending laterally adjacent said generator,

ing a housing having a removable cover, an X- ray generator rigidly fastened on said cover, said generator comprising a cathode structure, including a support member of heat conducting material exposed outwardly of said generator, and an anode portion, said generator being immersed in a cooling fluid in said housing and having direct access for circulation in heat exchang relationship with respect to the exposed portions of said cathode structure, and conduit means extending through said cover to circulate an additional cooling liquid from outside of the housing to the anode of said generator and return the additional cooling liquid outwardly of the housing for recirculation.

4. X-ray apparatus comprising a housing having a pair of removable covers, an X-ray generator rigidly fastened on one of said covers comprising a generator support cover adapted to enclose the generator in said housing, conduit means on and extending through sealed openings in said generator support cover for circulating a cooling fluid to and returning said fluid from the generator, and power delivery means for said generator supported on the other cover in position enclosed within said housing, whereby said conduit means and the generator may be removed from said housing with the generator support cover without disturbing the power delivery means, while the power delivery means may be removed from the housing with the cover on which it is mounted without interfering with the generator and conduit means.

5. X-ray apparatus comprising a housing having a pair of removable covers, and X-ray generator unit rigidly fastened on one of said covers in position enclosed thereby in said housing, and

a power delivery unit for said generator unit supported on the other cover in position enclosed within said housing, whereby said generator and power delivery units may be removed each from said housing with the cover on which mounted without disturbing the other unit, including conduit means within the housing for circulating'a cooling medium from an externalsource in heat exchange relationship with respect to the generator and power delivery units, said conduit means including pipe means extending through one of said covers and sealingly fastened thereto.

6. X-ray apparatus comprising a housing having a pair of removable covers, an X-ray gen-p erator unit rigidly fastened on one of said covers in position enclosed thereby in said housing, and a power delivery unit for said generator unit supported on the other cover in position enclosed within said housing, whereby said generator and power delivery units may be removed each from said housing with the cover on which mounted Without disturbing the other unit, including con- '7. X-ray apparatus comprising a housingrhaw ing a pair of removable covers, an X ray generator unit rigidly fastened. on one of said covers inposition enclosed thereby in said housing, and a power delivery unit for said generator unit supported on the other cover in position enclosed within said housing, whereby said generator and power delivery units may be removed each from said housing with the cover on which mounted without disturbing the other unit, including conduit means within the housing for circulating a cooling medium from an external source in heat exchange relationship with respect to the generator and power delivery units, said conduit means including pipe means extending through one of said covers and sealingly fastened thereto,

pipe means extending through and sealed in the wall of said hQusing and a detachable jumper pipe for connecting said cover and housingmounted pipe means outwardly of said housing.

8. X-ray apparatus comprising means forming a housing having a removable cover, an X-ray generator rigidly fastened on said cover, said generator having a target and a chamber adjacent said target, and conduit means secured to and opening outwardly of said cover and connected with said chamber for 'circulatinga cooling medium from an external source through said chamher in heat exchange relation with respect to said target and in spaced relation therewith and so arranged as not substantially to obstruct the flow of X-rays from said target.

ZED J. ATLEE. HOWARD BRACKNEY. 

